My mom never had a mammogram either. how could the doctors see her over the years and not insist?

Mammogram: My question is -have you asked you rmother why she has never had any mammogram? Her doctor can only recommend her to get screening procedures-i.e. Mammogram, colonscopy, pap smear as inidcated per screening guideline available, however her doctor can't and will not force anybody to accept any procedure or any treatment if that is againts the patient's will. Talk to your mother and ask her doctor.

We can't: We can only recommend things to our patients. We can't force them to do anything. We can try to compel our patients to do the correct thing. Screening exams, good eating and health habits, stop smoking etc. We try but its a free world.

We can't force : Patients do do or not do things. Please do your screening tests and please don't smoke.

Mammo: What kind of doctors did she see? Did she have a primary care physician, or did she see subspecialists? In any case, doctors can recommend, but not force, patients to do things. Patients have the freedom to say no.

Chances are: her doctor has recommended and even given her an order for it, I have some patients that absolutely refuse to get one no matter what I tell them and I cannot force them to get one.

Why insist?: A woman can make her own informed decision as to whether the benefits of mammography in the very-early detection of cancer outweight the expense, radiation exposure, and inconvenience. A majority of physicians believe they do, saving perhaps one life in 2500. Your mother may have made an informed opt-out.